Dragon Quest 9 was originally announced in December, 2006 to the surprise of many. Not only was it going to be on the DS, and not only was also going to be a multiplayer game, it was going to be an action RPG. All of these things shocked series fans, as they marked huge departures for a traditionally conservative series.

Three and a half years, a complete battle system revamp, many delays, and a surprising publisher change later, the game is finally almost here, in a much different form than how it was originally envisaged. It represents the next step in the evolution of the Dragon Quest series, while also looking back to the player-made party system of Dragon Quest 3 -- the game that really put the series on the map.​

​

Not an action RPG.

Full character customization, including facial designs and hairstyles. This is not only for your hero, but for your party members as well.

A robust class system based on Dragon Quest 3's, enhanced by the skill point system of Dragon Quest 8.

Over a hundred quests to complete, and many hidden treasure maps that lead to miniature, randomly generated dungeons full of treasure and dangerous enemies. More quests will be added to the game every week for a year after release.

2-4 person local multiplayer. Players can do everything they can do solo in a group of up to four people.

The new "free position" battle system lets you see more of the action during battle, making them feel grander and more chaotic.

Visible equipment changes, and more equipment slots than ever before.

Visible enemies. That's right, no more random battles -- for better or for worse.

The alchemy pot returns, but much improved. Wait times are gone, and you can make multiples of an item at once, among other improvements. Rocket Slime players may find an old friend here.

Wi-Fi shopping network (DQVC) with an ever-changing inventory that gives you the opportunity to purchase rare items.

Loads of post-game content, including weekly quest DLC.

​

​

How does multiplayer work?
By visiting Quester's Rest inn in the city of Stornway, you can either choose to host a multiplayer session, or join one. There must always be a host, and the host is the person whose world the other players join. From here, the other players can run free in the host's world, able to fight and explore alone if they should choose to do so, or join in battles with other players. If a player is near the host when a battle starts, they will join it automatically, but it's also possible to join a battle that is in progress. The host also has a command called "call to arms" that allows them to warp the other players to their location. During battle, each player is only responsible for inputting their own commands.

Also, although the other players are free to run around the host's world, they can't mess it up. Only the host can progress the story, and important (red) chests are only openable by the host, though there are also blue chests that can be opened by anyone. Monsters also give much more experience in multiplayer.

Why is Nintendo publishing this game? Did Square Enix give up on the series?
A while after DQ9's Japanese release, Iwata pledged to give the game the assistance he felt it needed in the west. The way he's doing that is by having Nintendo publish the game, which should give it access to Nintendo's marketing, distribution, etc. Square Enix is still involved, however, and the localization is being done through them. It's still unclear as to whether the localization itself is being done by Plus Alpha or someone else, though. Also, Dragon Quest 6 DS will still be published by Square Enix, as far as I know.

Isn't this post kind of skimpy?
The game has a really great official site with tons of info. Check it out!

Square Enix held a press conference in Tokyo today to announce the next entry in the main Dragon Quest series. In a surprise move, Japan's most popular series will continue not on the PS3 or the Wii, as many had expected. Instead, Square Enix will be bringing the game to the DS.

The full name of Dragon Quest 9 is Dragon Quest 9: Hoshizora no Mamoribito. The surname can be translated to "Protectors of the sky."

Level 5 will be handling development on the game. The hot-shot development studio headed up development on Dragon Quest 8, before turning to a couple of projects for Sony. On the DS, the studio is currently working on Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village, to be self-published early next year.

Development staff on Level 5's end is the same as from Dragon Quest 8, right down to company president Akihiro Hino, who's serving as producer. Other staff members should come as no surprise. Series father Yuji Horii, heading up the project once again, was in attendance at the press conference, and said, "The DS version is not a side-story, but a true part of the series." Kouichi Sugiyama will be lending his talents to the game's soundtrack. And all future Dragon Quest soundtracks, it seems, as he took the stage today to say "I will continue making Dragon Quest music until I die."

Development seems to be quite far along. The online arms of magazines Famitsu and Gemaga, report that a demo was held at the press conference, with Horii and other guests playing the game live. Dragon Quest 9 features an action-oriented battle system playable cooperatively by up to four players via Wi-Fi. This is the first network-based Dragon Quest, Horii noted. The DS's dual screen setup is also put to use, with the top screen showing a map and the bottom screen housing all the action.

Horii is aiming for a Japanese release some time in 2007. With Dragon Quest 8 pulling in favorable sales internationally, expect a release outside of Japan to follow.

Roughly 10 years ago, this scene wouldn’t have happened. Every Nintendo fan is very familiar with the fallout between Nintendo and (back then) Square. Now here we are, the year 2006, and this was the scene from Japan this morning. Nintendo and Square-Enix couldn’t be better friends. Things are looking absolutely amazing for Nintendo…the best they have in years. The DS helped usher in a new Nintendo…a refreshed, rejuvenated company. Now we have the Wii, where these ideas are being taken even further. Time will tell if this next step is the right one.

I truly believe that all this has happened thanks to Iwata’s direction. It seems that he has two major goals. First, creating a new image for Nintendo that still includes their hardcore fans, while bringing in all new groups. Second, repairing the third party problems of the past. Seems like he is doing a hell of a job.

So the next Dragon Quest is coming to the DS! That was a surprise to me. Surprised you too, right?

But this is really good news to me. I had gradually been losing my enthusiasm, but this makes me feel as if we’ll be able to make a bit of a return to the good old days. “Wow!” I thought, “Horii’s the man! He’s really done it!”

This may just be the nostalgic ramblings of an old man, but back then I really enjoyed making concept art for games. I feel I can proudly say “now those were games!” This time I want to absolutely give it my all to produce fun, simple and impactful new designs.

I’m getting on in my years, but for just a little bit longer, I’m going to give it my best!

The theme of DQIX is to be able to go on adventures with your friends (online/Wifi enabled).
“If you have a DS all you have to do is turn the switch on and you can adventure with your family, friends, girlfriend or boyfriend.”
“Of course it will be a big enough adventure to enjoy on your own as well”
“We want you to get your money’s worth”
“We are breaking all sorts of barriers, so it feels like when we were first making DQ1″

One of the biggest titles coming to the DS is Dragon Quest IX, and it seems that Nintendo recognizes it. Word is that the Big N will be paying for the television commercials for Dragon Quest IX. Not only that, but a famous group in Japan is rumored to appear in the commercials as well. Looks like Nintendo has some faith in the title…that, or they are paying a nice sum for the exclusive title!

To start with, he spoke about how after Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker has sold more than 1.3 million units in Japan already, the follow-up to that game will likely be released after Dragon Quest IX launches on DS, early in 2008. To give that some sort of proper context, he added that the ninth entry into the multi-million main series will hit Japan sometime between now and this Christmas, although given Square Enix's busy line-up already, with the likes of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates due on 23rd August and It's a Wonderful World set for the end of July, it seems a little vague.

Moving on to talk more about that highly anticipated game, he pointed out that whilst traditional turn-based battling had been brought back in due to consumer requests (since it was announced as being a fully action-RPG to start with), some action controls will remain in the game. Elaborating only slightly on this, he mentioned that the type of battling alters depending upon what circumstance you are faced with. So there appears to be a mixture of turn-based and action-based fighting included, to keep everyone happy.

Also, following early speculation, it has been revealed that there will indeed be connectivity with the Wii. However, in what way is still unknown. Could it just be a simple upload of creatures for viewing editing on the system, or will there be features of Dragon Quest Swords that can only be unlocked with the DS game? It seems we shall just have to wait and see.

Dragon Quest IX is set to have around 10,000 characters attributes to play around with for creating your own unique protagonist, rather like a more in-depth version of the Mii creation tool on Wii. You will also be able to gather new friends via Wi-Fi at 'Luida's Bar', similar to how you could in Dragon Quest III.

Moving on, Hori-san stated that although Dragon Quest Swords hits on 12th July for Wii and Dragon Quest IX is coming on DS this Christmas, 2008 will in fact be the 'Year of Dragon Quest'.

The series' creator spills the beans about DQIX and DQ Monsters: Joker

Thanks to the Square Enix Party 2007, we were lucky enough to sit down with Yuji Horii, the creator of the Dragon Quest series - the most popular series of RPGs in Japan (and no slouch in the US as well.) Here goes:

GamesRadar: The Dragon Quest Monsters series has been continuing for several titles now, to the side of the main DQ series. What sets it apart from the main DQ series, and what does it bring to the table?

Yuji Horii: Where Dragon Quest Monsters originated from was Dragon Quest V, where you had a monster befriending system, as a main part you could actually befriend monsters and have them fight on behalf of your party, as part of your party. So the monster collection games, particularly Dragon Quest Monsters we decided to take that element and make a whole game out of it. So from the very start you'd befriend monsters and use them to fight as your party, and the whole system is based on the original DQV system.

The big difference between Dragon Quest V and the series as it went on as Dragon Quest Monsters, is that in DQV you could just level up the monsters and give them equipment and that was it. But in Dragon Quest Monsters you can actually breed them or synthesize new monsters by combining two different monsters and coming out with a new, original monster that has its own elements that no other monster would have. So you can actually breed them and come up with your own original creation. So that's the huge difference between what was in the original Dragon Quest series and what was in Dragon Quest Monsters.

GR: When Dragon Quest IX was announced for the DS, it was quite a surprise - particularly because of how the series evolved forward with DQVIII. VII was similar to the SNES games, whereas VIII was very beautiful and fully-formed. How does this change in platform affect the evolution of the series?

YH: It doesn't change the policy of the Dragon Quest series at all - it's the same policy. With Dragon Quest IX, I wanted to make a game you could play with your friends. So that you could connect to the net. But usually net games have the huge hurdle of the cost, and the fuss of connecting. With the DS you just turn on the switch and connect, so that's why the DS was so appealing. It leads to that fact that you can actually turn on and get with your friends straight away, and that's what the deal was there.

A lot of people, want to play on the console and then switch to the handheld and back... a lot of users want to play on the handheld anyway. It's that type of game that you could play on it. It's not a big switch to go back and forth. I think most users will be happy with that.

GR: Dragon Quest Monsters Joker came out prior to Pokemon Diamond & Pearl in Japan but will be released after its release in the U.S. Does that change the reception you expect or perhaps the audience's readiness for the title?

YH: Well, hopefully because Pokemon's selling well in the west, Mosnters will get a break. Because up to now, it's been hard to receive it. Hopefully Monsters can be more accepted that way. We're hoping to get the post-Pokemon audience, a bit older.

So you can see that the even the main character is cynical and cool, he's got a little bit of attitude you wouldn't get in the Pokemon games. So you can see that right in the hero.

August 27, 2007 - DS owners are going to have to do without one particularly big blockbuster release this year. Square Enix announced today that it has delayed the Japanese release of Dragon Quest IX, the next numbered entry in Japan's biggest RPG series, from 2007 to 2008.

As reason for the delay, the company issued the usual statement about needing extra time to make a game that will better satisfy players.

Seeing as how we haven't heard too much about the game since its unveiling late last year, and considering that the recently announced Dragon Quest remake series won't see its first release until this winter, today's news doesn't come as too much of a surprise. And, to be honest, with the large lineup of DS titles due out before the end of the year, we're sure DS owners won't have trouble finding something else to play as they wait for what should be 2008's biggest game.

The company's Dragon Quest 9 title, released for the Nintendo DS portable game player in November, will produce 20 billion yen ($190 million) in revenue from 5 million units sold in Japan, Cosmo Securities analyst Takashi Oka wrote in a Japanese-language report dated yesterday.

"It's not surprising Dragon Quest 9 for the portable console sold twice as many units as a version for stationary game machines," Ota wrote.

Yoichi Wada, President of Square Enix, has announced to the Japanese press that Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Starry Sky for the Nintendo DS, still in development at Level-5 studios, will be released early next year in Japan. We haven't heard about this game in a while, the reason is probably because Square Enix wants the players to pay more attention to the latest remakes Dragon Quest : The Chapters of the Chosen, Dragon Quest : The Hand of the Heavenly Bride and Dragon Quest : Realms of Reverie for the Nintendo DS.